This study is motivated by an interest in obtaining a new automated classification scheme of daily circulation types suitable for use throughout Europe. The classification scheme is performed on 500 hPa geopotential height anomalies (NCEP Reanalysis data, 2.5°×2.5°). Nine grid points represent the study area. Five anticyclonic types (Anw, Ane, A, Asw and Ase) and seven cyclonic types (C, Cnnw, Cwnw, Cwsw, Cssw, Cse, Cne) are defined. Each of the circulation types has a distinct underlying synoptic pattern that produces the expected type and direction of flow over the study area. The classification scheme is applied to three different case studies in the Mediterranean Basin: Greece, Cyprus and central Italy. The precipitation percentage of the cyclonic type and the mean seasonal correlation coefficients for all circulation types are the two criteria used to evaluate the performance of the classification scheme. The ability of the HadAM3P general circulation model to reproduce the mean pattern and frequency of circulation types at the 500 hPa level in comparison to the NCEP dataset for the period 1960–1990 is also evaluated. The percentage of rainfall that corresponds to the cyclonic circulation types is greater than 85% for the three study regions. Furthermore, the correlation coefficients for the three classifications are very encouraging, for nearly all days of the study period. Compared to observations, the GCM is able to capture the mean patterns but not able to replicate exactly the observed variability of the circulation types over the three study regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]